Process for separating iron from aluminum



ILLS. Cl. 75-103 7 Claims ABSTRACT OF DISCLOSURE A process for selectively separating iron from an acidic aqueous ore solution containing ferric salts and aluminum salts in which the anion concentration is from 16 to 200 grams per liter, which comprises (1) forming an organic solvent containing a relatively inert organic diluent and either a secondary-alkyl benzyl quaternary ammonium salt, a phenyl-substituted aliphatic quaternary ammonium salt, or a polyalkoxylated benzyl aliphatic quaternary ammonium salt; (2) intimately contacting and mixing the organic solvent and the aqueous solution to effect transfer of substantially all of the ferric salt from the aqueous solution to the organic phase; and (3) separating the resulting ferric salt loaded organic solution from the ferric salt depleted aqueous solution.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to a process having utility in the field of metallurgy for separating iron from aluminum. More particularly it relates a liquid-liquid solvent extraction process for separating iron from an acidic aqueous mixture of iron and aluminum.

Generally, aluminum cannot be produced directly from bauxite and other aluminum bearing ores because other metals present as impurities in the ore would be carried through the processing and become alloyed with the aluminum. For this reason, the ore must be refined to exclude the other metals and to produce an alumina (aluminum oxide) of high purity, from which metallic aluminum can be obtained.

Difficulties have been encountered in producing highgrade alumina for further processing to the resultant metallic aluminum when the ore contains significant amounts of iron. For example, in one well known procedure, aluminum bearing ore is first calcined with caustic soda to obtain water-soluble sodium aluminates and then leached with an acid, such as hydrochloric acid, to obtain watersoluble aluminum salts which are then treated to convert the aluminum present therein to high-grade alumina. This acid leach procedure also dissolves metals other than aluminum that are present in the ore. Thereby, if the ore contains significant quantities of iron, the acid leach liquor will be contaminated with an approximately corresponding amount of undesirable iron salts.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION We have discovered that certain quaternary ammonium com ounds may be used to effect excellent separation, without the formation of an emulsified third phase, of iron from aluminum. Thereby, ores containing substantial amounts of aluminum but also containing iron may be utilized in acid leach processes for the production of aluminum, without resulting in a metallic aluminum containing substantial amounts of iron.

Therefore, an object of our invention is to provide a process for separating iron from aluminum. Another object is to provide a process for efiiciently separating iron from an acidic aqueous mixture of iron and aluminum.

nitcd States Patent 0 r0 Ice A further object is to provide a process for efiiciently separating iron from a mixture of iron and aluminum without the formation of an emulsified third phase.

Other objects and advantages and a fuller understanding of our invention may be obtained by referring to the following description and examples.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION In a specific embodiment, our invention may be exemplified by forming an organic solvent containing a suitable quaternary ammonium salt extractant, such as N, N-dimethyl-N-(Q C secondary-alkyl) benzyl ammonium chloride, dissolved in a relatively inert organic carrier or diluent, such as kerosene; and intimately contacting and mixing the organic solvent with an acidic aqueous feed solution containing aluminum salt and a relatively lower concentration of the ferric salt to be extracted, so as to substantially transfer or extract the ferric solute from the aqueous feed solution to the organic phase. The resulting organic phase containing the ferric solute is called the loaded extract; the aqueous phase from which the ferric solute has been removed is called the rafiinate. The rafiinate may undergo further extraction or other purification and processing steps to aluminum. Further, the loaded organic extract may be intimately contacted and mixed with a backwash-that is, an aqueous solution in which the concentration of the anions of the ferric salt is relatively loWto strip the ferric salt from the loaded extractant and thereby substantially reconstitute the original organic solvent.

Suitable quaternary ammonium salts may be selected from the group consisting of: (a) secondary-alkyl benzyl quaternary ammonium compounds wherein the alkyl radical contains from 8 to 22 carbon atoms, (b) phenyl-substituted aliphatic quaternary ammonium compounds wherein the aliphatic radical contains from 8 to 22 carbon atoms, and (c) polyalkoxylated benzyl aliphatic quaternary ammonium compounds wherein the aliphatic radical contains from 12 to 18 carbon atoms.

Secondary-alkyl benzyl compounds as described above have the structure wherein A is an anion such as chloride or sulfate, preferably corresponding to the anionic portion of the acid being used for the separation, x and y are integers having a sum from 5 to 19, R is selected from the group consisting of methyl, ethyl and (CH (CH O),,, wherein m is an integer from 1 to 2 and n is an integer from 2 to 15, W is selected from the group consisting of chloride, bromide and iodide and n is an integer from 0 to 3. These compounds may be prepared by reacting an aralkyl quaternizing agent, such as benzyl halide or benzyl sulfate, with one or more secondary-alkyl tertiary amines derived by the reaction of acrylonitrile with a secondary-alkyl primary amine.

The phenyl-substituted quaternary ammonium compounds described above have the structure wherein R, A, x and y are as described hereinabove, Ar is selected from the group consisting of phenyl and phenyl substituted with from one to tWo groups selected from the group consisting of methyl, hydroxy and methoxy, and R is selected from the group consisting of methyl, ethyl,

3 (CH (CH O)n' wherein m is an integer from 1 to 2 and n is an integer from 2 to 15, and

These compounds contain one or more long chain aliphatic groups to which an aryl group is attached as a side chain, thereby providing an aralkyl group. They may be prepared by first arylating long chain fatty acids, such as oleic or palmitoleic acid, by known procedures. The arylated fatty acid may then be converted to the corresponding nitrile, the nitrile converted to the primary amine, and the primary amine quaternized by reaction With a quaternizing agent such as methyl chloride or dimethyl sulfate. The carbon to which the aryl group is attached varies due to double bond migration in the unsaturated fatty acids, resulting under most reaction conditions in a mixture of isomeric products.

The polyalkoxylated benzyl aliphatic quaternary ammonium compounds described above have the structure @wrrrr cmwnomonn .A- Wn R wherein A, W and n are as described hereinabove, m is an integer from 1 to 2, n is an integer from 2 to 15 and R" is an aliphatic radical containing from 12 to 18 carbon atoms. These compounds may be prepared by alkoxylating the aliphatic primary amine with oxides such as ethylene oxide or propylene oxide before quaternizing by procedures well known in the art.

The organic diluent for the quaternary ammonium salts is not critical, but preferably is an inert, non-polar aliphatic or aromatic hydrocarbon. Suitable diluents include heptane, benzene, aryl halides, petroleum fractions such as naptha and derivatives thereof, and mixtures of the foregoing. We prefer to use kerosene of high flash point and low aromatic content as the diluent for our quaternary ammonium salts for reasons of economy and low fire hazard.

The amount of the useful quaternary ammonium salts to be used in our process can be adjusted over a wide range to obtain the most eificient and economical extraction of ferric salt and to control phase separation characteristics of the aqueous/organic system. We have found that an organic solvent containing about 3% to about 6% by weight quaternary ammonium salt is suitable. Any particular concentration to be used will be dependent upon the particular quaternary ammonium salt, its solubility in the particular diluent and the presence or absence of an alcohol modifier.

An alcohol modifier may be added to the organic solvent solution to modify the surface tension and related physical properties of the constituents of the solution. The modifier acts to improve phase separation and to inhibit the formation of an emulsion or the occurrence of opposite phase entrainment when the organic solvent is mixed and agitated with the feed solution. A preferred modifier which may be added to the organic solvent is normal decyl alcohol. Other suitable modifiers include other aliphatic alcohols containing 8 to 16 carbon atoms, such as normal octyl alcohol, dodecyl alcohol, tridecyl alcohol, lauryl alcohol, myristic alcohol, and mixtures of these alcohols. The quantity of the modifier in the organic solution to substantially inhibit emulsion formation or occurrence of opposite phase entrainment will depend upon the specific modifier employed as well as such other factors as the specific quaternary ammonium salt and organic diluent employed, the concentration of ferric salt in the feed solution, the organic/ aqueous solution ratio, and the temperature of the system. Preferably the quantity of modifier is close to the minimum quantity that will efiectively inhibit formation of an emulsion or the occurrence of opposite phase entrainrnent. There does not appear to be a critical upper limit on the amount of modifier that may be employed, but we prefer to use no more than 25% by volume. By way of example, the presence of from about 5% to 10% by volume normal decyl alcohol in a kerosene diluent containing 4.7% N,N-dimethyl-N-(C C sec-alkyl)-N- benzyl ammonium chloride will effectively prevent the formation of an emulsified third phase.

When the ratio by volume of the organic solvent to the aqueous feed is 1:2 or higher, we have found that employing a 0.05 to 0.2 molar solution of the quaternary ammonium salt in the organic diluent substantially transfers all of the ferric salt content of an aqueous feed solution. The magnitude of this ratio depends primarily on the concentration of the quaternary ammonium salt in the organic solvent. We prefer an organic/aqueous volume ratio of about 1:1 to 4:1 in the practice of our invention.

The temperature of the process is not critical; however for reasons of economy and convenience we prefer to operate at substantially room temperature (between 65 F. and 85 F.).

The aqueous feed solution containing the ferric salt to be separated therefrom and the organic solvent containing the quaternary ammonium salt may be brought intimately together by conventional procedures for contacting immiscible liquids. For example, they may be mixed by vigorous agitation by hand or machine shaking.

In the presence of a high concentration of the anion in the aqueous feed, the ferric salt is transferred from the aqueous phase to the organic phase. The exact nature of this transfer is not known. It is believed, however. to be what may be termed a chemical addition reaction wherein the ferric chloride forms 'a Water-insoluble complex, compound, or association with the quaternary ammonium salt in the organic phase. That is, then, what 18 known in the metallurgical terminology of solvent extraction as a liquid ion exchange process, wherein the quaternary ammonium salt complex serves as an anion exchanger to react chemically with the desired ions in the aqueous feed, forming a new compound or association which is soluble in the organic diluent.

To transfer a substantial proportion, such as 75%, or the iron from the aqueous phase into the organic phase. the anion concentration in the feed should be at least about 10 grams per liter (adjusted thereto by acid or salt addition). Higher anion concentrations in the feed (up to about 200 grams per liter) may be used to drive an even larger proportion (e.g. up to about 99.9%) or the iron from the aqueous phase into the organic phase. At anion concentrations greater than 200 grams per liter, the solution sufiiciently approaches saturation with respect to aluminum salt hexahydrates, and its density and viscosity become so high, as to induce problems in handling and avoiding aluminum losses.

On completion of the extraction operation, the aqueous/organic mixture is allowed to separate into its component, mutually immiscible aqueous and organic phases. The aqueous phase (rafiinate), containing less than about 0.05 grams of Fe O (in solution as iron salt) per liter of solution, is physically removed from contact with the organic phase (extractant) for further processing; for example, for further purification to produce highgrade alumina from which aluminum may be readily obtained. The organic phase (loaded extractant), which may contain up to about 2.5 grams per liter Fe 'O (present in solution as iron salt) if the molar concentration of the quaternary ammonium salt therein is 0.1, may then be treated to strip the ferric salt from the extractant. This may be accomplished by bringing the loaded extractant into intimate contact with either water or a dilute liquor of a corresponding acid containing a substantially lower concentration of the anions than the original feed solution. The extractant so stripped of ferric salt content is thereby a reconstitution of the organic solvent in substantially its original form, and may be reused to treat additional acidic aqueous solutions containing ferric and aluminum ions.

To strip a substantial portion (e.g., half) of the iron from the extractant, the anion concentration in the backwash should be below 25 grams per liter; and to achieve a substantial concentration of iron in the backwash the anion concentration therein should not exceed 15 grams per liter. The ratio of the volume of backwash to the volume of ferric salt containing extractant that is required to effect transfer of substantially all of the recoverable ferric salt from the extractant to the backwash will depend on the concentration of the acid of the anion in the backwash, the concentration of ferric salt in the extractant, the specific quaternary ammonium salt present in the extractant, the temperature of the organic/ aqueous system and on other similar factors. We have product was diluted to an approximately 50% solution of quaternary in isopropanol. The product was a mixture of isomers of N,N,N-trimethyl-N-phenyloctadecylammonium chloride, with the analysis: Quaternary, 43.6%; free amine, nil; amine. I-ICl, nil.

EXAMPLE III An aqueous iron, aluminum and hydrochloric acid feed solution was prepared using the corresponding metal chloride hexahydrates and adding an appropriate volume of aqueous concentrated hydrochloric acid. The metal salts were expressed as their oxides, and the aqueous feed solution contained per liter 80.217 grams A1 0 2.50 grams Fe O and 10.0 grams HCl.

found that an organic/aqueous system ratio of about An Organic Solvent was P p to contain 47% 15:1 is usually sufiicient to eifectively strip the ferric salt quaternary ammonium ehlorlde, 93% y alcohol from the extractant and thereby reconstitute the organic and 850% kefesene- The Organic 5011150113 were P p solvent for further liquid-liquid solvent extractions to sepy first adding the pp p amounts of the quaternary arate fr aluminum, ammonium chloride to the alcohol and then bringing to In Order to more f ll understand h nature of h volume with kerosene. In instances where the activity compounds of the present inveniton, their characteristics, of the quaternary ammonium ehlolide Was not near and h manner i hi h h may b used, h f ll i 100%, this fact was taken into consideration and that specfic examples are provided. amount of the quaternarly1 which WOI-Ijld fieqilial 4.7%

quaternary ammonium c ori e in t e na organic EXAMPLE I solvent was added.

A one liter, three necked flask equipped with a me- In this example, two quaternary ammonium chlorides chanical stirrer, thermometer, addition funnel, and a were used, viz. N,N-dimethyl-N-(C C sec-alkyl)-N- reflux condenser was charged with 360 g. (1.47 moles) benzyl ammonium chloride (hereinafter referred to in of N,N-dimethyl-N-(C C )-sec-alkyl amine and 120 g. the tables as Sample 1) and N,N-dimethyl-N-(C C secof isopropanol. The temperature was raised to 65 -70 alkyl)-N-benzyl ammonium chloride (Sample 2). Amber- C. and 194 g. (1.54 moles) benzyl chloride was added, lite LA-l, an N-dodecyl (trialkylmethyl) amine standard, with stirring, over a one hour period. The reaction mixwas compared to the sample compounds. ture was then maintained at 65 70 C. for thirteen 20 ml. of the above aqueous feed solution and 5 0 ml. hours. After this time the reaction product, N,N-dimethylof the above organic solvent (ratio by volume of 2.5 N-(C C )-sec-alkyl-N-benzyl quarternary ammonium organic to 1.0 aqueous) were added to an 8 ounce glass chloride, was diluted with additional isopropanol to a jar. The jar was then placed on an automatic shaker, the concentration of approximately 50% (mass yield 92.4%). shaker was set on high speed (approximately 270 oscil- Analysz's.Quaternary, 45.7%; free amine, 0.74%; lations per minute) and the solutions were agitated for amine HCl, 0.2%. one-half hour. After the one-half hour period, the solu- EXAMPLE H 40 tions were allowed to stand and separate. The solutions were observed for separation of the aqueous and orgamc Phenylstearic acid was prepared from commercial phases after standing 10 minutes and again 24-48 hours grade oleic acid, which contained a few percent of pallater. mitoleic acid, by a Friedel-Crafts reaction using alumi- In this example both samples had completely separated num chloride as the catalyst and benzene as the arylating after 10 minutes standing. No emulsion was present. agent. Thereafter, 1127 g. of the phenylstearic acid The :aqueous phase was separated from the mixture were converted to phenylstearonitrile on a continuous and analyzed for iron content by X-ray fluorescence and nitrile unit over bauxite catalyst at 280-300 C. A crude for aluminum content by either X-ray fluorescence or yield of 835.5 g. was obtained comprising a mixture of titration. The analysis of the original feed solution, the isomers. 591 g. of this product Was reduced in a l-liter, ratfinate from which the iron has been removed by a Parr autoclave over 2% (by weight) alcohol washed standard solvent (Amberlite LA-l, an N-dodecenyl (tri- Raney nickel catalyst in the presence of ammonia (150 alkylmethyl) :amine) and the ratfinate from which the p.s.i./30-40 C.) and hydrogen (800 p.s.i. total presiron has been removed by the two quaternary ammonium sure at 125 C. for 4-5 hours). 582.3 g. (97% crude salts of this example are set forth in Table I.

TABLE I Appearance After Extraction Means of Breaking any Analysis of Aqueous Phase Emulsion Present After Sample No. 10 min. 2448 hrs. Extraction g.Fe203/l. g.AlzO /l Original solution 2. 50 80. 217 Amberlite LA-l 0.160 79. 43 1 Two distinct phases organic Two distinct phases organic No emulsion present 1 0.000 72. 87

phase turbid. phase turbid. 2 Two distinct phases organic Two distinct phases organic do 0.005 78. 57

phase clear. phase clear.

1 Approximate.

yield) of a light amber oil was obtained. Upon dis- EXAMPLE IV tillation at 183190 C/O.3 mm., pure phenyloctadecylamine was obtained in 67% yield. 50 g. (0.145 mole) of phenyloctadecylamine and 25 g. (0.31 mole) of NaHCO in 50 ml. isopropanol were treated with methyl chloride at 7580 C./70 p.s.i in a 300 cc. stirred autoclave for 3.5-4 hours to obtain the quaternary. Carbon dioxide was removed by periodic venting of the reaction The procedure set forth in Example III was repeated using the quaternary ammonium chlorides:

Sample 3: N,N dimethyl N,N-di-phenyl-stearyl ammonium chloride;

Sample 4: N,N,N-trimethyl-N-anisylstearyl ammonium chloride;

Sample 5: N,N-di(dihydroxy) tallow-N-benzyl-N-polymixture and, at the completion of reaction, the resulting ethyleneoxide (7 moles) ammonium chloride.

These quaternary ammonium salts formed emulsions in the aqueous phase which were easily broken by separating the emulsion from the mixture and centrifuging until the emulsion broke. In the terminology of solvent From the results set forth in Table II, it may be observed that although the generally unbreakable type of dispersion resulted, the resulting emulsions were broken with relative ease and with good aluminum analysis.

TABLE II Sample No.2

Appearance After Extraction lltgleariisoi Analysis of Aqueous Phase rea mg 10 min. 2448 hrs. Emulsion g-FGzOa/l. g.A120a/l.

Original solution 2. 50 so. :17 Amberlite LA-1 0. 160 1'9. 43 3 Oil in water emulsion, organic Oil in water emulsion, organic Centrifuge 0. 006 79. 10

phase 51. turbid. phase 51. turbid. 4 ..do 0 .do 0. 133 Th. 7') 5 -do Emulsion broke 0.009 77.5

extraction, the use of the word emulsion is generally re- EXAMPLE V served for situations where the mixture of aqueous feed and organic solvent are exceedingly slow to separate.

Phase separation generally occurs in two steps: the pri- 2O mary break wherein the bulk of the mixture disperses by a process of coalescence and settling into the two component phases; and the secondary break wherein ultra-fine droplets settle out, as evidenced by a gradual clearing of both phases. When the dispersion mixture comprises primarily organic droplets dispersed in the aqueous phase, it is generally likely that a very stable emulsion will be formed and aluminum analysis will be low, which condition may render the system inoperable. However, when aqueous droplets are dispersed in the organic phase there is much less inclination toward an unbreakable emulsion. The aqueous phases obtained in this example were collected and analyzed with the results reported in Table II.

Using the procedure set forth in Example III, further evaluations were made of the dimethylsecondaryalkylbenzyl ammonium chlorides used in Example I, N.N- dimethyl-N-(C -C sec-alkyl)-N-benzyl ammonium chloride and the N,N-dimethyl-N-(C C sec-alkyl)-N-benzyl ammonium chloride, to determine the eifect on solvent extraction characteristics caused by varying the isomer position of the nitrogen functional group. Samples 1 and 2 of Example III were made from amines having high amounts of the amino functional group in the number 2 and 3 isomer position. These samples Were compared to Samples 15 and 16, which have the same substitutions but low amounts of the number 2 and 3 isomer position functional group; viz. Table IV:

Sample 1 (high 2 and 3 position) Chain Length 11, 12, 13, 14, 1:, Percent Percent Percent Percent Percent Isomer Position:

Sample 2 (high 2 and 3 position) Chain Length C15, 10, 11, u, Co, :0. Percent Percent Percent Percent Percent Perc nt Isorner Position:

Sample 15 (low 2 and 3 position) Chain Length C11, C12, C13, 314. Percent Percent Percent Percent Isomer Position:

2 24. 2 21. 2 20. 1 l6. 3 27. 8 30. 5 29. 8 .37. 1 25. 5 24. 3 20.3 JO. 4 22. 5 24. 0 12. 9 [7. o 16. 9 18. [1

Sample 16 (low 2 and 3 position) Chain Length C15, C10, 11, u, in, U20 Percent Percent Percent Percent Percent Percent Isomer Position:

TABLE V.ANALYSIS OF AQUEOUS SOLUTIONS FOR IRON AND ALUMINUIMI Solvent Used g.Fe20a/1iter g.Al2O /liter Original Solution 2. 50 80.5 Amberlite LA-l 0. 110 79. 43 Aliquot 336 0.021 78. 8 Sample 15 Low 2 and 3 P 0. 023 76. 5 Sample 1 High 2 and 3 Position. 0. 000 72. 9 Sample 16 Low 2 and 3 Position 0.027 77. 9 Sample 2 High 2 and 3 Position 0.005 78. 6

75% active tricaprylmethyl ammonium chloride, but sample was used as though it were 100% active.

While the present invention has been described and exemplified in terms of preferred embodiments, those skilled in the art will appreciate that variations can be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.

We claim:

1. A process for selectively separating iron from an acidic aqueous solution containing iron salts and aluminum salts, which comprises the steps of:

(1) providing an organic solvent containing a relatively inert organic diluent and a quaternary ammonium salt extractant, said extractant being selected from the group consisting of (a) secondary-alkyl benzyl quaternary ammonium compounds wherein the alkyl radical contains from 8 to 22 carbon atoms, (b) phenyl substituted aliphatic quaternary ammonium compounds wherein the aliphatic radical contains from 8 to 22 carbon atoms and (c) polyalkoxylated benzyl aliphatic quaternary ammonium compounds wherein the aliphatic radical contains from 12 to 18 carbon atoms;

(2) intimately contacting and mixing the organic solvent and the aqueous solution to effect transfer of substantially all of the ferric salt from the aqueous solution to the organic phase; and

(3) separating the resulting ferric salt loaded organic solution from the ferric salt depleted aqueous solution.

2. The process of claim 1 in which the anion concentratio of the aqueous feed solution is from 10 to 200 grams per liter.

3. The process of claim 1 wherein the organic solvent contains from about 3% to about 6% of the quaternary ammonium salt extractant.

4. The process of claim 1 wherein the ratio of the volume of organic solvent to the volume of the aqueous solution contacted with each other is from about 1:1 to 4: 1.

5. The process of claim 1 in which the organic solvent contains from 3% to 25% by volume of at least one modifier selected from the group consisting of aliphatic alcohols containing from 8 to 16 carbon atoms.

6. The process of claim 1 in which the quaternary ammonium salt is N,N-dimethyl-N(C -C sec-alkyl)-N- benzyl ammonium chloride.

7. The process of claim 1 in which the quaternary ammonium salt is N,N-dimethyl-N(C C sec-alkyl)-N- benzyl ammonium chloride.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,955,932 10/1960 Goren 75l21 3,104,971 9/1963 Olson et a1 75-l03 3,240,562 3/1966 Brown et al. 75-101 HOKE S. MILLER, Primary Examiner OSCAR R. VERTIZ, Assistant Examiner US. Cl. X.R. 7512l 

